(Luận văn hpu) a study on how to improve english skill for the first year english major students in hai phong private university

BỘ GIÁO DỤC VÀ ĐÀO TẠO
TRƯỜNG ĐẠI HỌC DÂN LẬP HẢI PHỊNG

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ISO 9001:2015

KHĨA LUẬN TỐT NGHIỆP
NGÀNH: NGƠN NGỮ ANH

Sinh viên

: Lương Thị Huyền

Giảng viên hướng dẫn: Th.S Nguyễn Thị Quỳnh Hoa

HẢI PHÒNG - 2019


BỘ GIÁO DỤC VÀ ĐÀO TẠO
TRƯỜNG ĐẠI HỌC DÂN LẬP HẢI PHÒNG
-----------------------------------

A STUDY ON
HOW TO IMPROVE ENGLISH SPEAKING SKILL FOR THE
FIRST YEAR ENGLISH MAJOR STUDENTS IN HAI PHONG
PRIVATE UNIVERSITY

KHÓA LUẬN TỐT NGHIỆP ĐẠI HỌC HỆ CHÍNH QUY
NGÀNH: NGƠN NGỮ ANH

Sinh viên

: Lương Thị Huyền

Giảng viên hướng dẫn: Th.s Nguyễn Thị Quỳnh Hoa

HẢI PHÒNG - 2019


BỘ GIÁO DỤC VÀ ĐÀO TẠO
TRƯỜNG ĐẠI HỌC DÂN LẬP HẢI PHÒNG
--------------------------------------

NHIỆM VỤ ĐỀ TÀI TỐT NGHIỆP

Sinh viên: Lương Thị Huyền.

Mã SV: 1412751113

Lớp: NA1804.

Ngành: Ngôn ngữ Anh.

Tên đề tài: A study on how to improve english skill for the first
year English major students in Hai Phong private university.


NHIỆM VỤ ĐỀ TÀI
1.

Nội dung và các yêu cầu cần giải quyết trong nhiệm vụ đề tài tốt nghiệp

( về lý luận, thực tiễn, các số liệu cần tính tốn và các bản vẽ).
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2.

Các số liệu cần thiết để thiết kế, tính tốn.
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3. Địa điểm thực tập tốt nghiệp.
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CÁN BỘ HƯỚNG DẪN ĐỀ TÀI TỐT NGHIỆP
Người hướng dẫn thứ nhất:
Họ và tên: Nguyễn Thị Quỳnh Hoa.
Học hàm, học vị: Thạc sĩ.
Cơ quan công tác: Trường Đại học Dân lập Hải Phòng.

Nội dung hướng dẫn: A study on how to improve english speaking skill for
the first year English major students in Hai Phong private university.
Người hướng dẫn thứ hai:
Họ và tên:.............................................................................................
Học hàm, học vị:...................................................................................
Cơ quan công tác:.................................................................................
Nội dung hướng dẫn:............................................................................
Đề tài tốt nghiệp được giao ngày … tháng ….. năm …..
Yêu cầu phải hoàn thành xong trước ngày …. tháng ….. năm ……
Đã nhận nhiệm vụ ĐTTN Đã giao nhiệm vụ ĐTTN Sinh viên Người
hướng dẫn

Lương Thị Huyền

Th.s Nguyễn Thị Quỳnh Hoa

Hải
Phòng,

ngày ...... tháng........năm 20..

Hiệu trưởng

GS.TS.NGƯT Trần Hữu Nghị


CỘNG HÒA XÃ HỘI CHỦ NGHĨA VIỆT NAM

Độc lập - Tự do - Hạnh phúc

PHIẾU NHẬN XÉT CỦA GIẢNG VIÊN HƯỚNG DẪN TỐT NGHIỆP
Họ và tên giảng viên:

...................................................................................................

Đơn vị công tác:

........................................................................ ..........................

Họ và tên sinh viên:

.......................................... Chuyên ngành: ...............................

Nội dung hướng dẫn:

.......................................................... ........................................

............................................................................................................................
Tinh thần thái độ của sinh viên trong quá trình làm đề tài tốt nghiệp
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1.

Đánh giá chất lượng của đồ án/khóa luận (so với nội dung yêu cầu đã đề ra trong nhiệm vụ

Đ.T. T.N trên các mặt lý luận, thực tiễn, tính toán số liệu…)

...... ..............................................................................................................................................
...... ..............................................................................................................................................
...... ..............................................................................................................................................
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3. Ý kiến của giảng viên hướng dẫn tốt nghiệp
Được bảo vệ

Không được bảo vệ

Điểm hướng dẫn

Hải Phòng, ngày … tháng … năm ......
Giảng viên hướng dẫn
(Ký và ghi rõ họ tên)

QC20-B18


CỘNG HÒA XÃ HỘI CHỦ NGHĨA VIỆT NAM

Độc lập - Tự do - Hạnh phúc

PHIẾU NHẬN XÉT CỦA GIẢNG VIÊN CHẤM PHẢN BIỆN

1.

Họ và tên giảng viên:

..............................................................................................

Đơn vị công tác:

........................................................................ .....................

Họ và tên sinh viên:

...................................... Chuyên ngành: ..............................

Đề tài tốt nghiệp:

......................................................................... ....................

Phần nhận xét của giáo viên chấm phản biện
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2.

Những mặt còn hạn chế
..........................................................................................................................................
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3.

Ý kiến của giảng viênchấm phản biện

Được bảo vệ

Khơng được bảo vệ

Điểm hướng dẫn

Hải Phịng, ngày … tháng … năm ......
Giảng viênchấm phản biện
(Ký và ghi rõ họ tên)

QC20-B19


TABLE OF CONTENTS
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS..................................................................................v
PART I: INTRODUCTION..................................................................................1
1.Rationale............................................................................................................ 1
2. Aims of the study and the scope of the study................................................... 1
3.The scope of the study....................................................................................... 2
4.Methods of study................................................................................................2
5. Design of the study........................................................................................... 3
PART II. DEVELOPMENT.............................................................................. 4
CHAPTER I: THEORETICAL BACKGROUND.......................................... 4
1.Definition of speaking skill................................................................................4
2.What is speaking skill........................................................................................7
3. Types of speaking............................................................................................. 8

3.1.Form-focused speaking...................................................................................8
3.2 Meaning-focused speaking............................................................................. 8
3.3.Opportunities to improve fluency...................................................................8
4.Relationship between speaking and three other skills....................................... 9
4.1. Relationship between speaking and listening...............................................9
4.2 Relationship between speaking and reading................................................... 9
5.The purpose of speaking skills.........................................................................10
6.Activities to improvestudent’s speaking skill.................................................. 11
6.1Information-gap activities.............................................................................. 11
6.2.Dialogues and role-plays...............................................................................11
6.3.Activities using pictures................................................................................12
6.4. Using games.................................................................................................13
7. Characteristics of a successful speaking activity............................................14
7.1. Learners talk a lot.........................................................................................14
7.2. Participation is even................................................................................... 14
7.3. Motivation is high.......................................................................................14
7.4. Language is of an acceptable level.............................................................14
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CHAPTER 2: METHODLOGY......................................................................15
1. The reality of learning and teaching English speaking skill for the first year
English major students at HP.............................................................................. 15
1.1 The teaching staff..........................................................................................15
1.2 The student.................................................................................................... 15
1.3 English teaching and learning condition at Hai Phong Private University ..
16

2.The survey questionaires..................................................................................17
2.1 The design of the survey questionaires......................................................... 17

2.2. The data analysis.......................................................................................... 18
2.2.1. The students’ English learning time..........................................................18
2.2.2 Which skill is the most difficult.................................................................19
2.2.3 The students’ attitude toward learning English speaking...........................19
2.2.4 The students’ perceived importance of English speaking..........................20
2.2.5 The students’ frequency of speaking English in class time........................21
2.2.6 The students’ impression on the English lessons.......................................22
2.2.7 The result from students’ opinions on the current teaching method..........23
2.2.8 The students’ time to take part in extra-activities...................................... 25
2.Findings and discussion of findings.................................................................25
CHAPTER 3 :

SOME SUGGESTED TO IMPROVE ENGLISH

SPEAKING SKILL...........................................................................................27
1.Teaching methods to improve speaking skills................................................. 27
3. The language game..........................................................................................34
3.1 Advantages of language games.....................................................................34
3.3.Work group and pair group........................................................................... 38
4.Telephone conversations..................................................................................38
5. Applicibility of Internet in studying speaking.................................................39
6. Picture ...............................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................
7. TV and Video..................................................................................................40
8. Speaking English to yourself...........................................................................41
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9. Take part in English club................................................................................ 41
10. Watch your favorite English videos..............................................................41

11. Watch English movies and TV shows...........................................................42
12. Check grammar with online English tests.....................................................42
13. Read e-books, articles, magazines every day................................................42
14. Write an English essay.................................................................................. 42
15. Chat English anywhere..................................................................................42
16. Practice reflexes by practice..........................................................................43
17. Hang man game.............................................................................................46
PART III: CONCLUSION...............................................................................49
LIST OF REFERENCES................................................................................. 50
SURVEY QUESTIONAIRE............................................................................ 51

iii


LIST OF CHARTS

Chart 5 : Students’frequency of speaking English in class time.........................22
Chart7 : The students’ opinions on the current teaching method........................24

iv


ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

In the process of doing the graduation paper, I have received a lot of help,
assistance, guidance, encouragement and idea contribution from my teachers,
family and friends.
My great gratitude goes to my supervisor Nguyen Thi Quynh Hoa (M.A)
for her enthusiastic guidance, very helpful ideas and instructions for the
preparation and her corrections during the completion of this graduation paper.

Secondly, I would like to express my sincere thanks to Ms. Tran Thi
Ngoc Lien (MA), the Dean of Foreign Language Department and all the teachers
at Haiphong Private University for the precious and useful lessons in my study
process that helped me a lot during graduation time.
It woult be a mistake if I didn’t mention the first year English major at Hai
Phong Private University who took part in my survey questionnaire
enthusiastically. Thanks to their participation, I had data survey, analysis and
gave the appropriate solutions.
Last but not least, I would like to give my heartfelt thanks to my family, my
friends who always, encourage and inspirit me to complete this graduation paper.
Hai Phong, February, 2019

Student
Luong Thi Huyen

v


PART I: INTRODUCTION
1. Rationale
Nowadays, it can’t bedenied that English is becoming the common tounge
of our global village. Whether you live and work in an English speaking country
or need English for travelling and fun, English is the passport to the success and
a deeper understanding of our quickly changing word. Therefore, learning
English is very important and necessary because mastering English is the best
and the shortest way for us to have a great deal of opportunities to reach the goals
of life. The English learner, from elementary pupils to students, from workers to
government employers study English with the interest and enthusiam. However,
for Vietnamese students, espeacially the 1st year English major students, they
have a lot of dificulties in learning and practising English speaking skill. They

often fall into confusion when speaking English because lack of knowledge,
confidence, and the good learning method as well. Besides, the learning passive
environment with the same and boring lessons without the interesting extraactivities prevent them from practising and improving English. That is the main
reason why they don’t get the effective result in learning English, especially the
English speaking skill.
Due to the reasons above, I have made a sketry presentation on some
effective method of studying English with the hope that this can help the first
year English major students at Hai Phong Private University will study English
better in the near future. Moreover, one of my suggested method is to study
English speaking through extra- activities. That is the reason why I have decided
to choose the research with the title “ How to improve English speaking skill for
the first year English major students at Hai Phong Private University’’.
2.
-

Aims of the study and the scope of the study
Aims of the study
My study is about to help the first year English major students at Hai
Phong Private University improve their speaking skill to prepare for them to the
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basic knowledge of speaking skill with higher requirement for the next graders.
To sumarize the above, my study is aimed at:
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Covering background knowledge of speaking

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Finding out reality of teaching and learning English at HaiPhong Private

University.
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Finding out appropriate techiniques for teaching speaking lessons which
draw students’s attention into the lesson. The students will feel interested,
enjoyable and funny when they come into the speaking lesson. Some good
techniques, especially the extra- activities will be given out inorder to improve
their speaking skill.
It should be noted that this paper shouldn’t be considered exclusive to
English major students at Hai Phong Private university. Infact, the fundamental
concepts and result of this paper can be applied to most English learners.
3.The scope of the study
There are so many different material resources and researchers that
require a lot of time and effect while my personal experien ce is limited.
Therefore, this study can only foucs on study some effective techniques in
studying English speaking skill, especially through the extra- activities for the
first year English major students at Hai Phong Private University.
I hope that this study is a good reference material for the English major
as well as all students who wish to get the higher speaking skill.
4.Methods of study
To finish this study, I myself carry out some following methods.

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Researching on reference books and websites.

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Attending English speaking periods at English non - major classes at Hai

Phong Private University.
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Interviewing and conducting the survey questionaires for the first year

English major students at Hai Phong Private University with a point to find out
their recognizations, attitudes of the matter and the difficulities they encounter
when practising English speaking skill.
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-

Basing on my personal experience from my under graduating time in

the university through speaking skil at class.
5.

Design of the study
A table of contents with pages numbers in which they are presented with
help readers have a clear overview of the research proposal. It also helps readers
find the part they need more easily and quickly. The study contains of three
parts:
Part I: The introduction are literature review, aims, scope, methodsand the
design of the study.
Part II: The development are three chapters:

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The first chapter is Literature Review which provides readers the

overview of speaking skill through the extra- activities.
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The second chapter is the Survey Questionaire for the first year English

nonmajor students. This chapter refers to the analysis and the findings obatained
from the survey questionaires and evaluations from students, interviewing teachers
to find out the necessary informations and the discussion of the findings from the
survey.
-

The third chapter focuses on suggesting applicable techniques to teach

and practisning English speaking skill fo rthe first year English non- major
students.
Part III is the conlusion which sumarized all the presented informations

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PART II. DEVELOPMENT
CHAPTER I: THEORETICAL BACKGROUND
Firstly, to master the techniques of studying speaking skill, especially for
the first year English major students of Hai Phong Privste University, it is
imposible not to mention the concept of speaking.
1.Definition of speaking skill
Different people use the term “ speaking” in different ways, which can

cause much confusion. Speaking a foreign language ususally seems much harder
than learning to write and and read, especially to the first year English non-major
students. Often the most important problems peple have with forein language is
that they can not speak their thinkings and their ideas as well. In fact, it is likea
vicious circle: they make mistakes, they become afraid of speaking and thus they
never get the practise which would be able to correct their mistakes. Most of the
beginning learners do not understand axactly “ what is speaking?”. We only
regard speaking sd a simple, easy process that involves speaking the words, the
ideas…by speaking out what they think without the correct. So, we had better
start by making sure that we are thinking about the same thing when we use this
term. As the first step, it would be use ful to undersytand “what is speaking”.
According to the Oxford Pocket dictionary of Current English 2009 “ Speaking
is the action of conveying information or expressing ones thoughts and feelings
in spoken language. And speaking used to indicate the degree of accuracy
intended in a statement or the point of view from which it is made.”
In the book “ Developing speaking skill” of David Scheter, published on
1999, there is a definition that: “ Speaking is to uuter words or articulate sounds,
as human beings to express thoghts by words, as the organs may be so
obstructed that a man may not be able to speak”. Meanwhile in the book “
Collins Cobuild English for avanced learner 4th edition, published in 2007
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definites that “ Speaking is the activitiey of giving speechs and talks, to indicate
the opinion you are giving”.
“ Speaking is also understood is the productive skill in the oral mode. It, like the
oral skills, is more complicated than it seems at first and involves more than just
pronouncing words” ( In the website Lingua Link Library, Version 3.5,
published on CD.ROMby SIL International 1998).
Speaking is an interactive process of constructing meaning that involves

producing and receiving and process information (Brown, 1994; Burns & Joyce,
1997). Its form and meaning are dependent on the context in which it occurs,
including the participants themselves, their collective experiences, the physical
environment, and the purposes for speaking. It is often spontaneous, openended, and evolving. However, speaking is not always unpredictable. Language
functions (or patterns) that tend to recur in certain discourse situations (e.g.,
declining an invitation or requesting time off from work), can be identified and
charted (Burns &Joyce, 1997). For example, when a salesperson asks "May I
help you?" the expected discourse sequence includes
a statement of need, response to the need, offer of appreciation,
acknowledgement of the appreciation, and a leave-taking exchange. Speaking
requires that learners not only know how to produce specific points of language
such as grammar, pronunciation, or vocabulary (linguistic competence), but also
that they understand when, why, and in what ways to produce language
(sociolinguistic competence). Finally, speaking has its own skills, structures, and
conventions different from written language (Burns & Joyce, 1997; Carter &
McCarthy, 1995; Cohen, 1996). A good speaker synthesizes this array of skills
and knowledge to succeed in a given speaking act.
According to Chaney (1998), speaking is the process of making and
sharing meaning by using verbal and non-verbal symbols in different contexts.
Brown (1994) and Burns and Joyce (1997) defined speaking as an interactive
process of making meaning that includes producing, receiving, and processing
information.
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Bygate (1987) defined speaking as the production of auditory signals to
produce different verbal responses in listeners. It is regarded as combining
sounds systematically to form meaningful sentences. Eckard and Kearny (1981),
Florez (1999), Howarth (2001), and Abd El Fattah Torky (2006) defined
speaking as a two–way process including a true communication of opinions,

information, or emotions. This top-down view regards the spoken texts as the
collaboration between two or more people in the shared time and the shared
context. Whilst Pendidikan Nasional stated, based on Competence Based
Curriculum speaking is one of the four basic competences that the students
should gain well. It has an important role in communication. (Departmen
Pendidikan Nasional, 2004 p.1). In carrying out speaking, students face some
difficulties; one of them is about language its self. In fact, most of students get
difficulties to speak even though they have a lot of vocabularies and have
written them well. The problems are afraid for students to make mistakes. While
Wallace (1978) stated that oral practice (speaking) becomes meaningful to
students when they have to pay attention to what they are saying. Thus, the
students can learn better on how to require the ability to converse or to express
their ideas fluently with precise vocabularies and good or acceptable
pronunciation.
Speaking ability is the students’ ability in expressing their ideas orally,
which is represented by the scores of speaking. Speaking is only an oral trail of
abilities that it got from structure and vocabulary, Freeman (in Risnadedi, 19
2001) stated that speaking ability is more complex and difficult than people
assume, and speaking study like study other cases in study of language,
naturalize many cases to language teachers.
In conclusion,speaking skill is always considered as a domain of language
and linguistic proper. Therefore, Clark and Clark (in Nunan, 1991, p.23) stressed,
“speaking is fundamentally an instrument act”. Speakers talk in order to have
some influences on their listeners. It is the result of teaching learning process.
Students’ skill in conversation is mainly aimed at in terms of teaching speaking
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skill, it becomes vitally aspect in language teaching and learning success if
language functions as a system for conveying meaning, as Nunan (1991, p.39)

states that the successful in speaking is measured through someone’s ability to
carry out a conversation in the language.
2.What is speaking skill
Speaking is the productive skill in the oral mode. It, like the other skills, is
more complicated than it seems at first and involves more than just
pronouncingwords.
There are three kinds of speaking situations in which we find ourselves:


Interactive



Partially interactive



Non-interactive
Interactive speaking situations include face-to-face conversations and
telephone calls, in which we are alternately listening and speaking, and in which
we have a chance to ask for clarification, repetition, or slower speech from our
conversation partner. Some speaking situations are partially interactive, such as
when giving a speech to a live audience, where the convention is that the
audience does not interrupt the speech. The speaker nevertheless can see the
audience and judge from the expressions on their faces and body language
whether or not he or she is being understood.
Some few speaking situations may be totally non-interactive, such as when
recording a speech for a radio broadcast.
Here are some of the micro-skills involved in speaking. The speaker has to:



Pronounce the distinctive sounds of a language clearly enough so that

people can distinguish them. This includes making tonal distinctions.


Use stress and rhythmic patterns, and intonation patterns of the

language clearly enough so that people can understand what is said.


Use the correct forms of words. This may mean, for example, changes

in the tense, case, or gender.


Put words together in correct word order.
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

Use vocabulary appropriately.



Use the register or language variety that is appropriate to the situation

and the relationship to the conversation partner.

Make clear to the listener the main sentence constituents, such as



subject, verb, object, by whatever means the language uses.


Make the main ideas stand out from supporting ideas or information.



Make the discourse hang together so that people can follow what you

are saying.
3.

Types of speaking
In speaking class, according to Burns, A & Joyce, H. (1997), students
must be exposed to three key items:
3.1.Form-focused speaking
Form-focused instruction, that is, attention to details of pronunciation,
grammar, vocabulary, and so forth… When learners begin speaking in another
language, their speaking will need to be based on some form-focused learning.
An effective way to start is to base speaking on some useful, simple memorized
phrases and sentences. These may be greetings, simple personal description, and
simple questions and answers. As their proficiency and experience in the
language develop, most of these sentences and phrases may be re-analyzed and
incorporated into the learners‟ system of knowledge of the language. Language
use based on memorization can be the starting point for more creative use of the
language.

3.2 Meaning-focused speaking
Meaning-focused instruction, that is, opportunities to produce meaningful
spoken messages with real communicative purposes.
In addition to form-focused speaking, language learners should be
exposed to and given chances to practice and use meaning-focused
communication, in which they must both produce and listen to meaningful oral
communication.
3.3.Opportunities to improve fluency
8